Metallica’s Kirk Hammett Asks Fans Not to Judge ‘Lulu’ By Heavy Metal Standards

What we've heard so far from the forthcoming Lou Reed and Metallica collaborative album 'Lulu' has been met with a seriously mixed reaction from fans, but Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett for one is stoked by the results. "I think it's one of the best things we've ever done," raves the guitarist to Revolver magazine. "We haven't been spontaneous like that for years and years and years, probably since the '80s."

That's certainly a glowing endorsement from guitarist, and there's plenty more where that came from. "We were all out of our comfort zone, and because of that, we came up with stuff we wouldn't normally come up with," Hammett continues. "It's largely an artistic endeavor for ourselves. And we're just inviting everyone else along for the party. This is something that most people won't be expecting from us. All I have to say is don't judge it by heavy-metal standards and maybe you'll understand it better."

There's that word again: "party." Vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield made some waves recently when he said of ‘Lulu,’ “It’s not party rock, that’s for sure." Metallica and Lou Reed even went so far as leaving the word "party" out of the description of an upcoming "listening session" in New York that will give contest winners a chance to be among the first to hear the album. Such gatherings are typically called "listening parties."